House, Office, Shop Moving Tips

To make moving a good experience, years’ worth of valuable & sentimental items need to be packed carefully. What should you take and what should you get rid of? The list of things that need to be done can be overwhelming. Here’s a checklist that will help you make sure nothing gets left behind. Whether you pack up your whole house, rent a truck & do it yourself, or hire a full-service moving company to do all of it for you, here’s how to keep track of all the important details. Complete a few of these tasks each day to simplify your move & ease the adjustment to your new home.

4 WEEKS PRIOR TO MOVING

• Decide which items should be discarded or donated to charity; consider a garage sale

• Call doctors & dentists. They may recommend a colleague near your new home

• Get copies of renewable prescriptions

• Arrange transfer of school records

• Transfer insurance records

• If you have house plants to move, read through the “How To Move Your House Plants” document

3 WEEKS PRIOR TO MOVING

• Plan to use up most food items before the move

• Check & clear tax assessments

• Arrange to have major appliances serviced before moving

• Movers can’t take aerosols, flammables or ammunition. It’s best to use them up or give them away before you move. You can also pack them in your car if you’re driving to your new location

• Empty propane tanks

• Notify the Post Office & get change-of-address forms & notify magazine subscriptions. Note: You must fill out a change-of-address form for each person receiving mail at your address

• Ask friends for help if moving yourself. Take a look at the large items you have: refrigerator, entertainment center, couches, beds, other furniture

• If you have pets to transfer, your qualified mover can give you advice on the best methods

2 WEEKS PRIOR TO MOVING

• Decide which items you’ll pack & which you’d like your mover to pack. Your mover can provide the best packing materials at reasonable prices. If you’re doing it yourself, overestimate the number of boxes you’ll need

• Return library books & other things borrowed

• Collect items you’ve loaned & items in layaway, storage, etc

• Arrange to discontinue utilities & delivery services

• Protect your belongings from damage in transit by disposing of flammables such as gasoline, fireworks, matches, cleaning fluids, bottled gas, aerosols, acids, caustic drain cleaners, etc

• Arrange connection of utilities in new home

• Draw up a floor plan of your new home & indicate placement of furnishings

• Take down satellite dishes if you have them

• Arrange for new cable or satellite TV disconnection

1 WEEK PRIOR TO MOVING

• Transfer bank accounts & ask your local credit bureau to transfer records to your new city

• Reconfirm travel reservations

• If you’re using Ace Relocation, arrange to have cash, certified check or money order ready to pay driver before goods are unloaded

• Drain water from all garden hoses

• Pack suitcases

• Get name, address & phone number of your Ace Relocation destination representative

• Drain gasoline from lawnmower

• Begin putting everything in boxes & preparing all large items for packing. Don’t wait until the day before you move to do this

• Anything Ace Relocation is packing should be left in place. It’s easier & safer

1 DAY PRIOR TO MOVING

• Put cleaning supplies, toiletries & coffee pot in special box to be loaded last, unloaded first.

• Finish packing suitcases

• Defrost, clean & dry refrigerator

• Make sure friends or helpers are committed to coming

MOVING DAY

• If you’re using a moving company, be on hand to answer questions, accompany driver during inventory, sign bill of lading & confirm your new address & delivery date

• Advise your driver of your en route accommodations

• Make a final check of every room & storage area

• Make sure windows & doors are locked, keys are transferred & lights are out

DISASSEMBLING LARGE FURNITURE

It’s typically best to move large pieces of furniture into small sections. The lighter the sections are made, the less likely that the item will be dropped from someone’s arms. Disassembly will also make it far easier for moving trucks to be loaded. Before large pieces of furniture are disassembled, ensure that:

Children & pets are free of the area to prevent injuries from falling furniture
Heavy furniture is not disassembled alone
The person taking the furniture apart has the proper tools
Glass doors & shelves are removed prior to the frame being taken apart. These can be wrapped in newspaper or bubble wrap & packed snug in boxes to preventcracks, chips & breaks
All screws, bolts, etc. are organized. Plastic sandwich bags can be filled with all the pieces to furniture & taped to the furniture frame
Sharp corners & edges are protected. Drape large moving blankets over sections of furniture to prevent scratches & dents

AVOIDING SPOTS & STAINS

Wrap items in moving & special blankets
Store couches & loveseats right side up
Turn items over, blankets should be placed between the upholstery & floor of the
moving truck to prevent damage to the fabric
Extra blankets or large sheets of plastic wrap can be used to drape furniture to keep
dust & dirt in the moving truck from shifting & settling on the furniture

PACKING A ROOM

Set up an area in the center of the room & keep boxes & materials nearby so they are accessible
Pick a starting point & begin packing in a clockwise direction
Make sure to put heavier items on the bottom of each box with more delicate on top
Use the right-sized box in order to avoid storing too much weight in one box or ending up with empty space
Line your box with padding material—newspapers, bubble wrap, etc.
Place your item several inches below one corner & fold over so item is covered. Fold item over so the backside is exposed. Wrap a side corner over, turn it over & wrap the other side corner over. Repeat this process until the item is adequately protected.
If you’re wrapping dishes, you can stack 4-5 together, as long as there is bubble wrap between each dish
Label each box with both its contents & the room it came from 9. What’s in each box and where it’s supposed to go.

HOUSEHOLD ITEMS

PACKING DISHES & GLASSWARE

Wrap dishes individually, one by one, in enough newspaper to fully envelop the item
Larger & heavier dishes should be wrapped & packed first to support smaller & lighter dishes
Crumbled-up pieces of newspaper should be placed around dishes & glassware to prevent dishes from moving
Use soft clothes & blankets as insulation between dishes & glassware wrapped in newspaper
Pack knives with caution because exposed blades can poke through cardboard & may cut hands that go digging blindly into boxes. All knives should be wrapped in newspaper & stored in a box or bag plainly marked “knives”

ANTIQUES

DOUBLE WRAP: wrap every antique in 2 layers of protection before packing into boxes. If using thin newspaper to wrap antiques, wrap antiques several times to create a thick layer of protection
ROOM TO MOVE: antiques should not be packed too tight
REMEMBER UP: decrease the risk of jostling by labeling the top of each box with words “this side up”. If movers know which side of the box is up, they are less likely to flip it over.
ORGANIZE TOGETHER: pack larger antiques together with similar antiques.
PLAN THE FLOOR PLAN: antiques should not be stored beneath any other household goods or in a position where large items could fall on them.
INVENTORY: antique collectors should consider inventorying & documenting each item in their collection so they know exactly what they have and the condition

SHOES

Put shoes back in the box they came in & in a medium-sized box. If you didn’t keep your shoe boxes, you want to get your packing paper & wrap your shoes together
Roll up a pair of socks and stuff it in each shoe to keep the shape
Take one shoe, lay it down on the corner of the paper, and roll it about halfway. Place the 2nd shoe opposite of the first & continue rolling. Take the bundle of shoes & lay on its side in the bottom of the box. Repeat the process with all your shoes, starting with the heaviest shoes & working your way to the lightest
Seal the box packing tape & use your marker to label

MOVING HOUSE PLANTS

3 WEEKS BEFORE MOVING DAY

Repot any plants in clay pots into unbreakable, plastic containers. The new pot should. be big enough to hold the plant, without being too big.

2 WEEKS BEFORE MOVING DAY

Prune larger plants. Pinch back newer growth with your thumb & forefinger. Succulents (e.g., cacti, jade plants) & ferns do not respond well to pruning

1 WEEK BEFORE MOVING

Eliminate any insects or plant parasites. Pesticides may contain harmful chemicals. Put entire plant in a black, plastic utility bag for 6 hours with a bug/pest strip or an animal flea collar. Keep bag in cool, shady area.

2 DAYS BEFORE MOVING

MOVING DAY

Pack your plants in the morning, or the night before. Conventional packing cartons are good for moving plants
Securely anchor each plant to prevent slipping when the box is lifted or jostled during transit. Place the pot in a box, making sure it fits in the bottom. Use paper around base of the pot to hold it in place
Cushion branches & leaves of the plant with soft paper. Moistened paper can be used for short periods. Plants that are wet are more susceptible to disease
Punch air holes in sides of the box & loosely fasten the lid
Set boxes upright & clearly mark the lids to avoid putting them into the van with your other belongings. Plants will be ready to travel safely for up to 4 days

MOVING PETS

On the days leading up to moving day, a special section of the home should be established that contains the pet’s favorite blanket, toys & food bowls. This way when they begin to feel stressed or excited, they will be able to retreat to a section of the home that they feel comfortable in. These items should not be packed until the pet leaves the home for the last time. When the owners arrive at their new home, the pet’s favorite items can be placed in the home where they will be kept. This will help the pet begin to associate the new area as its new home.

Before the moving crew arrives on moving day, it’s best for pet owners to remove their animals from the home entirely, especially if the animals can’t be contained to a single section of the home. Neighbors and family can be asked to babysit for pets.

MOVING AQUARIUMS

MOVING THE TANK:

The hardest part is keeping aerobic bacteria alive. Because the filtration system keeps the fish alive, what should you do? It only takes a few hours without a flow of oxygen-laden water for aerobic bacteria to waste away. If your move requires a drive less than an hour, your bacteria colony may be able to survive. But if your drive is longer than that, you will need to regenerate the bacteria. The total time might be a few hours & you’ll need to take the following process:

Move your fish into a holding container
Drain the water. You should keep some of the water to help preserve the bacteria
Aquarium plants survive quite a while, if their roots are kept wet. Bag them with water & carry it. If your move is going to be short, place your filter medium in a sealed container (It’s best if your container is an unused pail or other chemical-free hard-sided container) without cleaning it. For long moves, either clean or throw away filter media. You can pack pumps, heaters, etc. as any fragile appliance.
If it’s short move, have enough DE chlorinated/treated water to fill your tank & get water filtering. For long distance moves, you need to set your tank up like a brand-new tank, including a week-long delay before putting the fish back in the tank. Start by adding a few fish to get the nitrate cycle set up.

MOVING THE FISH
Where should you put your fish? You have 2 options: a friend’s tank & a pet store tank. You may be able to use a pet store tank for free & your fish will be fed while you’re moving. Sign the contract that details what responsibilities the pet store is taking over. Some pet stores will pack & air-ship fish to you for an additional fee.

HOW SHOULD YOU PACK THEM? For a short time (a couple of hours) you can put your fish in sealed bags, half-filled with air. If you fill oxygen into the bag instead of air, you can stretch this time span slightly. Put the bags in a cushioned compartmentalized container, and ship by air. This is the same process that pet stores use when they receive their fish. If the fish are larger, or your trip is longer, a sealed bucket is preferable for each fish instead of a bag.
HOW SHOULD YOU TAKE CARE OF THEM? Keep water at even temperature by placing fish in sealed or compartmentalized coolers. Fish can survive for up to a week without food if they have been well fed before the move & usually they are too stressed to eat. Use a battery-powered air pump & air stone if needed.

MOVING FOOD

Meats, fruits, vegetables & milk can be rotten and spoiled if allowed resting on the back of a moving truck for too long. Instead of throwing this food out, it can be donated to neighbors,family members, or shelters
Within 30 days, you should stop shopping & begin planning meals around food already in your home
Non-perishable items may be packed depending on expiration date. Boxed foods may be sealed with tape around original wrapping or airtight resealable plastic bags
You should aim to remove all of the food from your home before moving day

HOLD A MOVING SALE

HOW TO BEGIN
Ask your family members about items they wish to sell. Or you might organize a “neighborhood”
sale and pool the efforts of other families on your street.

WHEN TO HAVE YOUR SALE
• Set a date & time
• Fridays & Saturdays are best. Try to avoid holidays
• Establish a rain date if necessary
• Determine the hours, such as 8am-4pm

WHERE TO HOLD YOUR SALE
• Check with local authorities about restrictions in your area
• Decide if the sale will be in the garage, yard or basement
• Make sure your sale area has parking & space for people to move

PUBLICIZE YOUR SALE
• Check online and in newspapers for where to hold listings

PREPARATIONS FOR YOUR MOVING SALE
• Record the price on a tag or sticker and place the item in an easy-to-see location
• Start saving shopping bags & cartons to make it more convenient
• Have tissue paper or newspaper on hand to wrap glass & other fragile purchases
• Bundle or package units together. Put loose game pieces in a sealable bag & secure them
• All “For Sale” items separated from items not for sale.
• Display items in groups according to type
• Set up a cashier’s desk with a calculator, scissors, tape, string, markers, a cash box & plenty of change
• Be prepared for the weather to change at any time. Have several large sheets of plastic handy to quickly cover everything.

WAYS TO STRETCH YOUR MOVING BUDGET

BEFORE THE MOVE

Check with utility companies on deposits you made when you moved into your home, ask for money now. If you have paid your bills on time, also ask for a “good customer” letter to take to your new town
Take furniture you will use instead of downsizing what you need
Get the records that you will need to take with you (medical, dental, school veterinarian etc.)
Consider consignment shops
Have high-value items appraised
Gain free pet-sitting credit with a friend or neighbor who also has a dog
Find work with your new locale. Look into spouse’s corporate relocation program & assistance for working spouses. Subscribe to newspaper or classified employment listings through the web.
Search for local opportunities at job sites.
Join professional associations in your new community. Consider temporary work
Contact insurance company holding present policy to quote for coverage at new address. Compare standard homeowner’s & automobile policies

1ST FEW WEEKS IN YOUR NEW HOME…

Contact Welcome Wagon. Hostess will deliver basket of free goodies, which includes small gifts & discount coupons.
During the days right after you move, you’re bound to receive something in the mail good for a free or discounted product or service. Supermarkets send neighborhood coupons good for complimentary breakfast
Join local Newcomers Club

PERSONAL OR SENTIMENTAL ITEMS

• Address Books
• Airline tickets
• Car keys
• Car titles
• Cash
• CDs
• Cell phones
• Certificates of deposit
• Checkbooks

• Computer discs
• Financial documents
• Insurance policies
• IRAs/deeds/tax records
• Jewelry
• Keys to furniture, safe, home
• Laptops
• Medical & dental records
• Medicine

• Personal video tapes
• Photographs/photo albums
• Professional files
• Research projects
• School records
• Sterling silver
• Stocks/bonds

WAYS TO AVOID BREAKAGE DURING A SELF-MOVE

Plan to ensure you have enough spacing. Many items are broken or damaged when individuals are forced to cram belongings into a truck
Mark boxes containing fragile items. If the placement of the box is important, also label the top of the box, so it isn’t placed upside down
3. Use packing peanuts to occupy unused space. Peanuts will insulate the items & help prevent movement
Bubble wrap fragile items. Items that are unwrapped but stored in the same box, even with packing peanuts, can bump and scrape against each other
Use clothing to cushion fragile objects
Use crumpled newspaper for insulation
Wrap valuable items in at least 2 layers of protection
Carry 1 box at a time; especially if the boxes are marked as fragile
Stack heavier boxes towards the rear of the container & under less heavy boxes. Make sure boxes labeled as fragile do not end up under heavier boxes
Lift & lower carefully. Squeezing a box too tight, putting a box down too fast, or placing a box in an unsafe area can lead to smashed boxes & broken property

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